Law Testifies On Church Scandals

An attorney for people claiming sexual abuse by a priest pressed Cardinal Bernard F. Law in court Friday to stick to an announced $30 million settlement, confronting him with his statements and those of other church officials that hailed the agreement.

Law, however, continued to deny that he believed the Archdiocese of Boston had reached a final deal with the 86 alleged victims of defrocked priest John J. Geoghan.

"I believed this to be a proposed settlement," he told attorney Mitchell Garabedian at the hearing, the first time he has testified publicly about the case.

Law testified earlier this year in closed depositions in the continuing sexual-abuse scandal, and some of that testimony was made public later. But Friday's testimony, which lasted for more than two hours and ended just before noon, was his first public statement in court.

Garabedian had Law read from an article in the archdiocese's newspaper, The Pilot, in which Law said, "this settlement is an important step in reaching closure" for Geoghan's alleged victims.

Garabedian asked Law why he had never referred to the settlement as "proposed." He pointed to a March 15 editorial in the Pilot, of which Law serves as publisher, that said the case had been settled.

"Does it say, 'conditional settlement' anywhere? Does it say, a 'possible settlement'? Does it say, 'a settlement that might be?'" Garabedian asked.

Law said he should have referred to the settlement as "proposed," but insisted under repeated questioning the context was clear and that the settlement would not be final until all 86 victims and the archdiocese finance committee had signed it.

"I did not use that word as a qualifier, I wish obviously now that I had used it," he said. "It would have expressed the intent of my words more effectively."

The archdiocese's Finance Council backed out of the settlement in May, saying it would cause severe financial hardship.

Garabedian questioned Law about his initial approval of the agreement, and his role as Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston Corporation Sole. That role which sets up Law as the head of a corporation with civil authority over the archdiocese, separate from his religious duties.

Law said he acted in the case as an individual, not as a corporate entity. Under questioning by his attorney Owen Todd, Law said he couldn't sign the agreement once he knew there wasn't sufficient money to fund it.

Garabedian gave Law no deference on the stand, leaning in closely and cutting him off on occasion. At one point, Law said "May I say...?" before Garabedian interrupted and said, "There's no question before you."

On objections from Law's lawyers, Judge Constance Sweeney steered Garabedian away from question on Geoghan's alleged abuse or its effects on the victims.

The archdiocese is considering filing for bankruptcy if it is forced to pay such large amounts, The Boston Globe reported Friday, citing unnamed church advisers.

The advisers told The Globe that bankruptcy is being considered as a "worst-case scenario." The archdiocese, facing fewer donations and a weakened economy, has already cut its budget by one-third.

Archdiocese spokeswoman Donna Morrissey said Friday that she had not read the story, and had no comment.

Church leaders say Law's statement in March doesn't prove a deal was finalized. They say the archdiocese should not be bound by the agreement because it required further approval and the signature of each of the defendants.

Garabedian put himself on the stand for several hours Thursday. Under questioning by his law partner, he detailed months of discussions that led to the deal.

Plaintiffs' attorneys also noted that discovery — the evidence gathering before a case goes to trial — was stopped after the court got word of a settlement agreement, an indication that a final deal was reached.

Next week, Law is scheduled to be deposed in separate abuse cases. Settlement talks recently broke down with lawyers for alleged victims in those 240 other pending cases.

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